The Colombian government said on Sunday that it expected to continue its negotiation on a trade agreement with Japan after the massive earthquake that hit the Asian country on Friday.

According to Colombia's Foreign Trade Minister Sergio Diaz-Granados, the negotiation that began in 2010 aimed to increase Colombia's trade balance.

He said he hoped that Japan's economy would be restored soon, adding that he sent a letter last week to Japan's Economy and Trade Ministry to make the procedures of the trade agreement.

Colombia currently has trade agreements with Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. It expects to boost its trade ties with Japan and other Asian countries, while seeking investment from China and South Korea.

Diaz-Granados also regretted the tragedy caused by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and said the Colombian government was ready to help that country.

"We are ready to aid the Japanese in whatever way they need. Eleven years ago Japan was the first country to send aid to Colombia, when we had the earthquake in the Coffee Axis," he added.

March 14^th, 2011

Source: Xinhua News

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